How do you potty train a Labrador Retriever?

5 Comments

1. Jess says:

   February 8, 2012 at 9:24 am

   These dogs are hard to train because they are very play full. Bring him outside and if he pees, give him a piece of cheese and if he doesn’t, put him in the crate. I did this with my dogs and it works great. Just make sure he doesn’t see the cheese!
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2. KurohyoPaine says:

   February 8, 2012 at 9:35 am

   If he’s a puppy, take him out every hour, after he naps, after he eats. Take him out on a leash as well to get him acclimated to being courteous on a leash. Crate training does help with potty training because dogs do not want to soil their bedding, so he’ll WANT to go outside to do his business.
   References :
3. Kelly says:

   February 8, 2012 at 9:49 am

   -Supervise at all times so that you can prevent accidents. When you cannot supervise then put your puppy in his crate or puppy proofed area.
   -Take the puppy out frequently.
   -Reward IMMEDIATELY after the puppy potties in the correct location.
   -Do not punish accidents as that could actually teach the puppy that you do not want to potty in front of you, causing even more accidents!
   Instead calmly scoop up the puppy and take it outside to finish.
   -Clean all accidents with a good enzyme based cleaner to remove all odor.

   This is a good source that will help walk you through this process!
   http://www.dogforum.com/housebreaking-puppies/house-training-how-tos-2135/
   References :
4. luckydog says:

   February 8, 2012 at 10:28 am

   Same way you train any other dog. Best way is to use a crate. If you are talking about an older dog, then you need to crate train first. With puppies, it is best to start with a crate immediately, then the pup will just take for granted that crating is what is done.
   Get a crate that is just large enough for your dog to go in, stand up and turn around. Do not feed him in it (though you might want to use a water bottle, some people do). If we are talking puppy here, then you set up your crate and begin a schedule that is something like this: Wake up in the morning, dog goes OUT immediately. Don’t come in until the dog has done its business. THEN feed the dog the appropriate amount. Don’t free feed..this way you will come to be able to predict when your dog will need to go. After breakfast, dog gets play, training (short duration) and exercise. All under supervision. If your dog shows any signs of needing to go…you take it out. Then, its crate time..while your dog is tired. At 8 weeks of age, you should give the dog a nap time of about 2 hours. After that, repeat the schedule.
   Your dog should go OUT every 2 hours…and 20 minutes after meals. Some dogs take longer than others to potty train. Many dogs "get it" right away. My hound mix was mostly trained within days of coming home (9 weeks), but I had a pit mix that took till almost 5 months. I know people who have had a dog 9 months and still had problems.
   But look into crate training and in most cases potty training will be a breeze. Good luck.
   References :
5. TK says:

   February 8, 2012 at 10:57 am

   I use this method with new puppies and dogs. It works.
   Schedule-Confine-Supervise
   Schedule- the feeding and potty times. An adult is fed twice a day. A puppy is fed four times a day up to 10 or 12 weeks, then three times a day through adolescence. They need to potty first thing in the morning, last thing at night, within a few minutes of every meal, and every few hours in between. The “in between” hours are calculated by their age in months: 1 month = 1 hour, up to 6 months/hours. So, a three month old puppy should be taken to potty every three hours in between the other scheduled times. When the dog/puppy is taken to potty, wait with him as he ‘does his business’ and then praise like crazy. The neighbors should be able to hear you.

   Confine- the puppy or dog whenever it is not being watched. Confinement can be in a crate (especially at night), an exercise pen, or behind a baby gate in a very small and puppy-proofed room.

   Supervise- the puppy or dog whenever it is loose in the home. This means having eyes on it, not on the TV. Play with the puppy, do a five minute training session, groom it, or just let it lie at your feet with a safe chew, but have it within sight at all times. If it squats then give a loud “NO” or “ACK” as you scoop and run to the appropriate potty spot.

   Do not let the dog return to the accident spot until it has been thoroughly cleaned and wiped with vinegar or a commercial enzyme product to remove all urine odor.
   References :